Heartstrings that Stay Black
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Hermione gets a letter concerning Voldermort's coal black heart and a mystery they had never solved, and she finds herself sinking into several mysteries as a result.
1. The First Letter

**A/N:** A random idea of mine, but a really fun one to work with. Cookies if anyone manages to guess Sherlock's true identity before Hermione does. :D

Written for the Becoming a Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style, Meeting Azulongmon 1 challenge, and for the Hunger Games Competition, interview stage.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
The First Letter**

Miss Granger,

Carve the Dark Lord's heart out of his chest and it will be black and hard like coal.

I kid you not. Try it; I dare you – if you can win the body off the Ministry, but I don't think they'll mind too much, if it's you and for research purposes. And that's what research is: sating the curiosity of the curious. I know you're that sort; that's why I'm telling you.

I'll also add: that heart has more magical power than a dragon's, harvested from its fresh corpse. You know the value of this: you've spent the last twelve years fighting to stop the relentless hunt for wealth, and you've succeeded in lowering the slaughter of dragons for the black market by over half. The dragon keepers are grateful; it kills them when their charges are snatched away from under their noses – or, both easier and worse, their eggs.

But I digress. I tell you the value of that heart, because I know you won't abuse it. You will do what needs to be done with it: discover its secret, the thing that has made and kept this heart a prisoner from regret. That's important, I think, not only for your friend Harry Potter, but for the Wizarding World as a whole. I wish to know it as well: how can a heart be so sealed from regret? Its advantage we've already seen.

I trust your insatiable curiosity to this little project, Miss Granger. I'm sure you'll find a way; even if you think this to be a hoax, I'm sure you'll check your facts. I ask that, in return for this information, you keep me updated on your findings by return owl. My own curiosity is sadly great, but I am without your ability.

Yours,  
Sherlock


	2. Her First Reply

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #409 – Sherlock Holmes, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #002 – Muggle.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
2 – Her First Reply**

Dear Stranger,

I wondered whether I should grant you your little pseudonym, but Sherlock Holmes is a personal favourite of mine and one who wouldn't fear to give his name in a case, and so I decided against it. Though your little tidbit of knowledge has peaked my interest. I ask myself though, what would you gain from me doing so? And why now; I assume you have been in the know for longer than you imply.

Do not think I will let this mystery go lightly either. I am not in the business of trusting nameless, faceless people. The war taught me caution – no, the Wizarding World taught me caution long before that. Ginny Weasley for example: one of the earliest and most notable incidences to that front.

That being said, I saw no harm in following through with what little information you have given me and I followed through with that request. You were correct in assuming the Ministry would surrender the body to me, but incorrect in assuming that it would be only me. I do have a team, but you may know how particular I am with my workers and I trust all of them with my life. Naturally, I won't tell you who they are, but if you know me as well as you imply, I'm sure you can guess one or two of their names.

I've only done some preliminary examination so far, but I have found some things of interest. Signs of dark rituals that will take quite a bit of digging to fully understand mostly. What is perhaps more interesting is the discrepancy between the heart tissue and that of the rest of the body, something that is more Muggle a concept than the Wizarding society cares for.

Waiting for answers,  
Hermione


	3. His Second Letter in Response

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #417 – seen it grow, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #022 – meandering.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
3 – His Second Letter in Response**

Miss Granger,

Do not think your little slip of first name will prompt me to use it as well; I do not care to be so familiar in so distant a manner. Nor will I grace your little tangent about Sherlock Holmes a reply; his name is merely an alias, perhaps an unnecessary one. I have already said what I gain: a satiety for my curiosity, as I am unable to delve further into this mystery myself.

I did not think so, however I will entertain the notion of being more intelligent than yourself. I have known you for a long time, as you seem to have already deduced. You are also correct in the assumption of me being able to "guess" your team: Winky the House Elf, several members of Dumbledore's Army (I envision Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood amongst them) and I might even assume that Professor McGonagall is playing a hand behind the scenes as she inches towards her retirement.

The books you require will not be in the Ministry, I assure you. However I'm sure you'll enjoy the challenge of seeking them so I will leave my assistance at that. I myself do not know where exactly to find such material, but contacts may assist you and leave you a trail of breadcrumbs I can well do without.

I had hoped that which slips past most of magical society would not slip past you, and it seems I have been rewarded. I still wait for you to uncover the answers, and I am thankful for your reply and eagerness. It seems my trust has not been misplaced. I didn't think it would, but one can never be entirely sure.

I know you seek my identity as well, but I cannot tell. Please leave it at that.


	4. Her Second Reply

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #955 – the girl with no name, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #038 - deep.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
4 – Her Second Reply**

Dear Stranger,

Forgive my delayed reply. I had quite some reading to do, as you can understand.

Since you did not grant me the courtesy of a signature in your last reply, I shall continue to call you stranger until told otherwise. Although I now have a few more clues within which to discern your identity, so perhaps I should call you Professor instead. Indeed, there is only one professor I can think of that fits into the profile I've generated of you, but since you seem so determined to not be named, I shall forego it.

The books might have been difficult to find in Britain, but not so overseas. I have a contact in Egypt who was able to point me in the direction of someone quite knowledgeable about such dark rites. It took a little wheedling (moreso from Luna as her way of persuading people is unprecedented) but we managed to track down some useful information. Luna is still in Egypt, finding out more.

The full details will have to be disclosed to you in a more secure manner; I cannot risk this information falling into the wrong hands, as you well understand. I will tell you know though that your assumption is both correct and incorrect. Remorse and regret are impossible to fully forego, but it is remorse and regret for one's deeds that is the key, not the outcome. And that is where he and you differ: you regret what you did, not just what it led to. Your heart will heal.

And the ritual itself is surprisingly uncomplicated, after a fashion. There is no failsafe. Anyone can do it, entirely by accident. I am sure there are a great many other people who have done so, like you. Your problem is something else.

Hermione


	5. His Third Letter

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #514 – secrets, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #019 – gracious.

And who saw the mystery author coming?

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
5 – His Third Letter**

Miss Granger,

I have received your package and am grateful for the effort you have put into it. It was foolish of me to think I could hide from a sharp-mind as you, but you have spared me much grief nonetheless. I won't ask what gave me away; you'll send me an essay in response. After all, as you well know, there was no-one in Hogwarts in your six years that could match your research abilities. I am grateful for Miss Lovegood for assisting in securing these resources for you as well. Please pass on my thanks to her.

You have made an interesting point about regret, though by that comment I assume Mr Potter has told you about my deeds to some detail. It is a foolhardy ritual, as you say, and one that is uncontrolled. Anyone can anger. Anyone can spill blood. Anyone can make a choice that sets them on a path they can never turn away from. It is ironic to think the heart truly dies with these deeds, these choices, and is kept viable through our magic until it rots to its core. But Muggles do not die from it, even lacking the magic we own. There is something out there that stops the smell of rotting flesh from devouring them, something we wizards lack. And until I solve my own problem, I have ample time to dwell on it, since I know spell creation is not your forte.

You do seem to have some idea about my problem though. Your assistance would be very much appreciated on that matter.

Severus Snape


	6. Her Third Letter

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #411 – evidence of their passage, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #046 – hole.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
6 – Her Third Letter**

Dear Professor,

I have passed on your anonymous thanks to Luna, but she is sharp in her own way and I suspect she knows who sent it. She has not seen these letters, however she knows you are the person who requested us to research this matter, and truthfully, there are very few people who would ask that, particularly of me.

Your problem is mostly a simple one, the same one that plagues ghosts, though you still live. Why you are still alive is, possibly, because of the blood that has stained your soul, but if would free yourself of the past I think you would move on. After all, there are many people who live and die steeped in regret – I think you were simply not ready to die. We saw you, so I am not sure how you revived yourself and escaped the Shrieking Shack, but I am not disappointed. You are an irreplaceable man. And I wish you luck in solving the little riddle you've given yourself; spell creation is not my forte, it's true, but it is yours.

As for moving on, I would suggest talking face to face with Harry. You gave him your memory and he understands, but you do don't know anything after that. Maybe you wish for his forgiveness, or maybe there's more you want to say to him. Or maybe it's not related to him at all, but he is a good starting point nonetheless. And he won't turn you in, or shout out your existence to the world. He isn't like that.

We are still exploring the body. As a research tool it is quite…enlightening, and I think some think of it as a small atonement for sins too heavy to be forgiven for.

Yours,  
Hermione


	7. The Final Letter

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Harry Potter Style continuing the Meeting Azulongmon 1 task, for the If You Dare Challenge, #424 – uproar, and for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, #033 – flavour.

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**Heartstrings that Stay Black  
7 – The Last Letter**

Miss Granger,

Your blunt subtlety will never cease to baffle me. I recall now why I found you so infuriating in my Potions classes. However, I cannot fault you for that, and perhaps I will speak to Mr Potter, in time. I have a new project to work on after all, so it seems I won't by dying again for a while yet…which I'm sure you were suggesting yourself in your last letter.

You would be surprised how many people would attempt to make use of that brain of yours, although most would not admit it. I had hoped my anonymity would lead you in that direction, but it evidentially did not. No matter; that is irrelevant in the scheme of things. Miss Lovegood is unfortunately sharp as well, but in research she lacks the drive you have. Hence, I imagine, why you are her direct superior within the research department.

It was my House Elf; a loyal and loving one I did not deserve. I thought I did not anyway, at the time, but I think I am understanding now what I lacked, and what protects us. Albus would have been far quicker to declare it to be love and I'm sure you would say that as well. Love is truly a strange magic. It seems I will have to speak to Mr Potter about that as well…since I believe Mr Weasley in Egypt might not be as helpful as you.

I have my answer; I am glad the body provides more interest to you, and I am sure you will filter the discoveries appropriately as well. Perhaps it is not as I first showed; I cannot imagine anyone eating the Dark Lord's heart nor do I wish to, but it is dangerous knowledge nonetheless.

With thanks,  
Severus Snape


End file.
